Publishers / DC / Showcase (1956) / #73
73March-April 1968
$0.12

Showcase #73

DC · March-April 1968 · on sale 1968-01-23

First appearance: The CreeperOrigin: The Creeper
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How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
Showcase (DC, 1956 series)
Issue
#73
Publication date
March-April 1968
Key date
1968-03-00
On-sale date
1968-01-23
Indicia publisher
National Periodical Publications Inc.
Price
$0.12
Pages
36
Rating
Approved by the Comics Code Authority

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of The Creeper - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

Origin story on record for: The Creeper.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0Beware the Creepercover1pencils: Steve Ditko; inks: Steve Ditko; letters: Gaspar SaladinoThe Creeper First
1The Coming of the Creeper!!comic story22script: Steve Ditko, Don Segall; pencils: Steve Ditko; inks: Steve Ditko; letters: Charlotte JetterThe Creeper First
2A Strange Tale Told by the Creepercomic story0.67pencils: Morris Waldinger; inks: Morris WaldingerJohn Greenley
3Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulationstatement of ownership0.33script: Irwin Donenfeld
4You Too Can Play the "Game"promo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Curt Swan; inks: George Klein; letters: Gaspar SaladinoClark Kent, Supergirl, Superman, Kara Zor-El
6Meet the Men Behind the Creepertext article1script: Murray Boltinoff; letters: Gaspar Saladino
7Returning to the Savage Battle Skies of 1918 -- The Hammer of Hell -- Enemy Acepromo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Joe Kubert; inks: Joe Kubert; letters: Gaspar SaladinoEnemy Ace, Hans von Hammer
8-in-house column1script: E. Nelson Bridwell; pencils: Irv Novick, Mike Sekowsky; inks: Irv Novick, Jack Abel
9Steve Ditko... Like Lightning -- Strikes Again! The Hawk and the Dovepromo (ad from the publisher)0.5letters: Gaspar Saladino

Plus 1.5 pages of advertisements and other matter across 2 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Detective Comics #4431974On eBay ›
The Creeper by Steve Ditko #[nn]
ISBN 978-1-4012-2591-9		2010On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Check spine ticks and cover gloss in the photos; silver-age Marvels chip at the edges easily.
  • Look for tanning at the page edges and transfer stains on the inside covers.
  • Confirm the cover price against the plate; higher prices can mean a later or foreign printing.

Series context

‹ #7273 of 104#74 ›

Sources

  • Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Wikidata, Q111905063 (The Creeper), first-appearance property (CC0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com